Restoring Economic Capacity of Populations Affected by the Crisis in Northern Mali (RECAPE) ! ! NEAR%EAST%FOUNDATION! Partners for Community Development since 1915 Quarterly)Report! July%1%–!September(30,(2013! ! ! ! Near!East!Foundation! MALI:"Rue!321,!Porte!75,!BP93,!Sevare!Millionkin! Region!de!Mopti,!Mali!(+223)!21.42.16.78! NEW!YORK:"432!CrouseHHinds!Hall!⋅!900!S!Crouse!Ave! Syracuse,!NY!13244!⋅!(315)!428H8670! www.neareast.org" ! RECAPE!Project! ! No.!AIDHODSAHGH13H00053! Quarterly!Report,!JulyHOctober!2013! ! ! ! Restoring!Economic!Capacity!of!Populations!Affected!by!the!Crisis!in!Northern!Mali! (RECAPE)! [USAID/OFDAHNEF]! ! TABLE!OF!CONTENTS! ! ! ABBREVIATIONS!AND!ACRONYMS!.............................................................................................................!ii! I.!!!EXECUTIVE!SUMMARY!...............................................................................................................................!1! II.!!ACTIVITIES!AND!ACCOMPLISHMENTS!..............................................................................................!1! A.!SubHSector!1:!Fisheries!......................................................................................................!1! Activity!1.2!Restock!at!least!5!fishponds.!..........................................................................!1! Activity!1.3!Provide!fishing!equipment!and!training!in!fishing!.........................................!1! B.!SubHSector!2:!Livestock!.....................................................................................................!2! Activity!2.1!Restore!community!pasture!areas!.................................................................!2! Activity!2.2!Distribute!Emergency!Supplemental!Feed!.....................................................!2! C.!SubHSector!3:!Improving!Agricultural!Production/Food!Security!......................................!3! Activity!3.1.!Facilitate!MarketHBased!Access!to!Seeds!and!Inputs!....................................!3! Activity!3.4!Rehabilitate!market!gardens!..........................................................................!4! D.!SubHSector!5:!Livelihoods!Restoration!..............................................................................!4! Activity!5.2!Provide!cash!grants!to!restart!incomeHgenerating!activities.!........................!4! Activity!5.3!Build!capacity!for!successful!livelihoods!restoration.!....................................!4! III.!!PROJECT!SUCCESES!...................................................................................................................................!5! IV!!!CHALLENGES!ENCOUNTERED!DURING!THE!QUARTER!...........................................................!5! V.!!!OVERVIEW/IMPACT!OF!SECURITY!SITUATION!............................................................................!5! ATTACHMENT!1:!PROGRESS!ACCORDING!TO!INDICATORS!...........................................................!6! ATTACHMENT!2:!FISHER!TRAINING!.........................................................................................................!9! ATTACHMENT!3:!MARKET!GARDEN!SEED!DISTRIBUTION!.........................................................!10! ATTACHMENT!4:!GRANT!DISTRIBUTION!............................................................................................!11! ATTACHMENT!5:!PHOTOS!FROM!QUARTER!.......................................................................................!12! ! This publication was produced for the review of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It was produced under the Restoring the Economic Capacity of Populations Affected by the Crisis in Northern Mali Project, implemented by the Near East Foundation. This report is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of the Near East Foundation, and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. ! Cover!Photo:!Women!receive!cash!vouchers.! ! ! Near!East!FoundationTOSHIBA! ! i! RECAPE!Project! ! No.!AIDHODSAHGH13H00053! Quarterly!Report,!JulyHOctober!2013! ! ABBREVIATIONS!AND!ACRONYMS! ! NEF Near East Foundation NGO Non-Governmental Organization OFDA Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance RECAPE Restoring Economic Capacity of Populations Affected by the Crisis in Northern Mali USAID United States Agency for International Development ! ! Near!East!FoundationTOSHIBA! ! ii! RECAPE!Project! ! No.!AIDHODSAHGH13H00053! Quarterly!Report,!JulyHOctober!2013! ! I. EXECUTIVE!SUMMARY! This report describes the activities carried out during the second quarter of the project (July 1- September 30, 2013). The Near East Foundation continued the implementation of activities according to the work plan. Activities focused on distributing fishing materials and equipment, restocking rehabilitated fish ponds, training fishers on production techniques, distributing seeds for market gardens, rehabilitating market garden structures, distributing cash grants, and monitoring activities. The project met (and in some cases exceeded) targets for the second quarter: • 19,600 fingerlings were delivered to 5 rehabilitated fishponds. • 160 fishers (over half women) received and filled vouchers for fishing kits. • 156 fishers (over half women) participated in trainings to promote improved fishing techniques and the management of fishponds. • 3,341 women in 12 villages benefited from the free distribution of 3,500 kg of shallot seeds for market gardens. • 1,707 beneficiaries received cash grants totaling 85.5 million FCFA. Beneficiaries also received support from economic recovery agents in the planning and implementation of economic activities. Ongoing monitoring and support was provided to project beneficiaries who received agricultural inputs and livestock support during the project’s first quarter. While crops were growing well, the lack of rain since the beginning of September has had a detrimental effect on millet and rain-fed rice crops and threatens a grain crisis. A detailed summary of achievements against targets is included in Attachment 1. II. ACTIVITIES!AND!ACCOMPLISHMENTS! A. Sub-Sector 1: Fisheries The project supported the fishing sub-sector by restocking rehabilitated fish ponds, distributing fishing materials and equipment, and training fishers in improved fish farming techniques. Activity 1.2 Restock at least 5 fishponds. Following the restoration of 5 fishponds completed during the last quarter, RECAPE worked with harvesters to restock these ponds and help them return production to a minimum of pre- crisis levels. The delivery of a new supply of fingerlings in the rehabilitated fish ponds has built the capacity of fishers in the area and will further help the communities recover from the effects of the crisis in Northern Mali. Suppliers were chosen using a competitive bidding process. The selection was made based on a number of criteria, including: ability to provide the product within the specified time, knowledge of and experience in the field, and bid price. A contract for the provision and delivery of the fingerlings to the five rehabilitated ponds was put in place with the selected supplier. Fish were delivered to the farmers (3,920 total per site), with a grand total of 19,600 fingerlings delivered to seed the five rehabilitated ponds in the towns of Diaptodji, Korientzé, Noradji, Fanabougou, and Korombana. The species that were both preferred by and delivered to the beneficiary communities are Tilapia Zillii, Claris Gariepinus, and/or Claris Anguillaris. The ratio between Tialpia and Claris species was 3 :1. Activity 1.3 Provide fishing equipment and training in fishing/fish processing techniques. The project worked with the cooperative societies that manage the rehabilitated ponds to distribute material and equipment to fishers. 160 fishers (including 82 women) received vouchers ! Near!East!FoundationTOSHIBA! ! 1! RECAPE!Project! ! No.!AIDHODSAHGH13H00053! Quarterly!Report,!JulyHOctober!2013! ! for fishing kits that included: 1 net, 2 traps, 2 containers for fish storage, 2 buckets, and 1 rack for drying and smoking fish. Fishers also participated in training sessions that focused on re-instilling hope into the fishing sector, and reinforcing techniques for meeting immediate needs without adding stress to weakened fisheries. The fishers learned improved technical and financial management skills for the sustainable and efficient operation of fishponds. 156 people (82 women total; 28 in Diaptodji and 54 in Korombana) participated in the training sessions. The RECAPE project team assessed participants’ knowledge prior to beginning the sessions. The training was held in a participatory fashion to encourage active participation. Training sessions focused on aquaculture and management techniques, the maintenance of structures, fish species and food, the preservation and processing of fish, fishing controls, and financial management. The training also emphasized the roll of the community in the operation and management of the fishponds (See Attachment 2 for more information). In Diaptodji, participants were particularly interested in producing fingerlings locally to promote production during all seasons. B. Sub-Sector 2: Livestock Activity 2.1 Restore community pasture areas The rehabilitation of 5 pastoral water points, completed during the first quarter, focused on the reconstruction of superstructures (rims, watering basins, drainage, paving) and the